Irish Government Being Sued Over Climate Change Following Hurricane Ophelia

Lawsuits like this are becoming more common, its sad. Its sad that climate change is the most important issue in human history and that in some places people have to sue the government to have actions on this issue.

Quote:

For the first time in the country’s history, an Irish environmental group is turning to the legal system for help answering an important question: Is the government doing enough to protect its citizens from climate change?

According to a lawsuit filed earlier this week by Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE), the Irish government is not taking adequate steps to protect residents from the consequences of climate change. The lawsuit specifically names the country’s National Mitigation Plan, arguing that the plan does little to actually curb greenhouse gas emissions. According to the lawsuit, Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions are actually expected to rise 7.5-10 percent by 2020, rather than fall by 25 to 40 percent over the same time period, as required by the National Mitigation Plan.

“The consequences of climate change are dire. This has long been acknowledged by our government, but they still refuse to take the necessary action,” Tony Lowes, a founding member of FIE, said in a press statement. “This case is not about any one environmental organization. It’s a case for everyone in Ireland, young and old. We’re hoping the case will capture imaginations here and abroad and galvanize a movement pushing for ambitious action.”

The lawsuit was inspired by other legal actions in various countries around the world, from the Netherlands to the United States. In 2015, a group of 900 Dutch citizens filed a lawsuit against the government of the Netherlands, arguing that the governments inaction on climate change constituted a human rights violation. A Dutch court later agreed with the plaintiffs, ordering the government to cut greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent compared to 1990 levels by 2020. It was the first time that a court had found that human rights laws could be used as the basis of a climate lawsuit.
In the United States, a group of 21 youth plaintiffs are also suing the federal government for climate negligence, arguing that through its support of the fossil fuel industry and general inaction on climate change, the U.S. government has violated the plaintiffs constitutional rights to a livable environment. That case was cleared to go to trial this February by a district court in Oregon, but is currently on hold due to a challenge to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals filed by the Trump administration.

Dennis van Berkel, a Dutch attorney who represented the citizens in the 2015 lawsuit, presented the case in Ireland in the context of a growing wave of climate litigation around the world, noting that citizens are increasingly turning to the courts for movement on climate action — especially in countries with governments that appear either uninterested in or antagonistic towards reducing emissions.

“The Dutch case proved that all governments have a legal duty to protect their citizens against climate change by doing their part to lower emissions,” van Berkel said in a press statement. “Given Ireland’s seriously inadequate climate policies and growing emissions, this case may well lead to the court reaching the same conclusion.”

Re: Irish Government Being Sued Over Climate Change Following Hurricane Ophelia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stronk Serb

I praise a legal system where that's possible. Here people are fighting for decades for the return of property seized during WWII and the communist collectivisation.

Guess everything is possible if you pay a lawyer the right amount of money.

But it can get even worse. Where my grandma comes from Native Americanstyle tried to sue government over having had their land taken away. By now the land in question is swallowed by the ocean due to climate change. So what should they sue about now? Climate change or illegal taking away of their land?

But back to the original post. I don'tfeel that there is much gained from such a lawsuit. Instead of wasting time and money on legal action like that I always feel it would be better to educate people about what they could do themselves to work for stopping climate change, reducing emissions, saving energy and resources etc.

Re: Irish Government Being Sued Over Climate Change Following Hurricane Ophelia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stronk Serb

I praise a legal system where that's possible. Here people are fighting for decades for the return of property seized during WWII and the communist collectivisation.

Sure its great, but its still sad when it as to come to suing the government.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dalcourt

But it can get even worse. Where my grandma comes from Native Americanstyle tried to sue government over having had their land taken away. By now the land in question is swallowed by the ocean due to climate change. So what should they sue about now? Climate change or illegal taking away of their land?

Both

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dalcourt

But back to the original post. I don'tfeel that there is much gained from such a lawsuit. Instead of wasting time and money on legal action like that I always feel it would be better to educate people about what they could do themselves to work for stopping climate change, reducing emissions, saving energy and resources etc.

... How long does it take to explain to people why does thing help the most, five minutes? The reality is we all need to work on this together and that include big polluters and oil companies who keep trying to kill us because they are either no or not strong enough regulation to stop them and/or government supporting their dying industry and giving them subsidies. And if a lawsuit is the only way they will understand that do it.

... How long does it take to explain to people why does thing help the most, five minutes? The reality is we all need to work on this together and that include big polluters and oil companies who keep trying to kill us because they are either no or not strong enough regulation to stop them and/or government supporting their dying industry and giving them subsidies. And if a lawsuit is the only way they will understand that do it.

Here we go, more electric car propaganda (and vegan too)... If you think people are going to stop eating meat, renounce their fundamental right of procreating and avoid driving their hard-earned car so that a few icebergues in Antarctica won't melt, you're dead wrong.

Re: Irish Government Being Sued Over Climate Change Following Hurricane Ophelia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Living For Love

Here we go, more electric car propaganda (and vegan too)... If you think people are going to stop eating meat, renounce their fundamental right of procreating and avoid driving their hard-earned car so that a few icebergues in Antarctica won't melt, you're dead wrong.

Re: Irish Government Being Sued Over Climate Change Following Hurricane Ophelia

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattsmith48

What propaganda? Also its more about keeping the planet habitable.

The fact that once again you're ranting about big oil companies/polluters bla bla bla. I've told you that anything you say about corruption involving "dirty" companies can be said about corruption involving "green" companies. Also, whatever happens to the planet, I won't be here to notice it, because climate changes take decades to take place, and I won't live forever, so why should I care?

Re: Irish Government Being Sued Over Climate Change Following Hurricane Ophelia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Living For Love

The fact that once again you're ranting about big oil companies/polluters bla bla bla. I've told you that anything you say about corruption involving "dirty" companies can be said about corruption involving "green" companies. Also, whatever happens to the planet, I won't be here to notice it, because climate changes take decades to take place, and I won't live forever, so why should I care?

That is the attitude that put us in this mess in the first place, we are already noticing the effects of climate change, just look at everything that happen this year from the droughts, to having half a continent on fire for months of time, the record breaking temperatures higher than what any scientists expected, to having one of the worst hurricane season, including the hurricane this thread is about, that hit Ireland and the UK and also affected Scandinavian countries and even Russia.

Re: Irish Government Being Sued Over Climate Change Following Hurricane Ophelia

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattsmith48

That is the attitude that put us in this mess in the first place, we are already noticing the effects of climate change, just look at everything that happen this year from the droughts, to having half a continent on fire for months of time, the record breaking temperatures higher than what any scientists expected, to having one of the worst hurricane season, including the hurricane this thread is about, that hit Ireland and the UK and also affected Scandinavian countries and even Russia.

Right, but all the events you have described have happened in the past too. Global warming or sea temperature rise are phenomena that take decades to happen, this year was particularly disastrous, but it doesn't mean that the ones who will follow will be. You also lack evidence that shows climate change was the only variable responsible for those extreme weather events.

Re: Irish Government Being Sued Over Climate Change Following Hurricane Ophelia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Living For Love

Right, but all the events you have described have happened in the past too. Global warming or sea temperature rise are phenomena that take decades to happen, this year was particularly disastrous, but it doesn't mean that the ones who will follow will be. You also lack evidence that shows climate change was the only variable responsible for those extreme weather events.